Community Investment Process

Through the Community Investment Process, United Way donors make recommendations on how undesignated donations should be invested in local nonprofit programs that serve Escambia County. If you've donated at any level this past year, you can join the investment process and help decide how donations from thousands of donors are invested.

What is the Community Investment Process?

If you donate to United Way without specifying a cause, your donation is set aside for Community Investment grant funding. These funds, totaling around $1 million last year, helped fund 44 local agencies. As we are raising these grant funds, local nonprofit agencies are applying to become certified partners through United Way of Escambia County. This means that United Way reviews their financial records and nonprofit status to ensure the agency has the stability and capacity to operate efficiently and effectively. Once certified, agencies can apply for the Community Investment grant. Donors are trained to review applications, tour program sites, and decide which programs receive funding to meet community needs. United Way does not stop there. After funding is invested, programs submit quarterly reports detailing measurable outcomes, and we report that data to you, our donors.